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As of June 1 2020. UTI is ceasing all operations related to brass model trains. Here is a note circulated to our dealers. Thank you all for your support.

Union Terminal ImportsFine Brass Models
Thanks to all of you collectors, dealers, research and data package collaborators, advisors and friends who have helped us import about a dozen brass model projects over the last 12 years. Ed and I are 50/50 partners in Union Terminal Imports. We have been and will be great friends for life. We have developed a wonderful relationship with Se Ho Jang, owner of Boo-Rim Precision. Se Ho has been our exclusive builder and you’ve seen the result. Se Ho shares our passion for accuracy, quality, detail and readiness for operation out of the box. We would not consider working with anyone but Se Ho to build exquisite brass models. In addition to our Boo-Rim built UTI models, Ed and I both have many brass models Se Ho has built for other importers over the years. We look forward to adding models to our collections that Se Ho builds for other importers in the future.
We will continue to operate UTI for about another year and a half in order to complete our role as publisher of a second book by Jeff Cauthen and Don Munger on Southern Pacific passenger trains and cars from 1930 to 1971. Beyond that, we will always be available to support the models we have imported as long as we have replacement parts like lighting boards, truck side frames and so forth. Se Ho has sent us a parts box of whatever is left over after each project. What’s in the box varies by project.
My wife and I will be moving soon to a new house in the Bay Area closer to our daughter. We are building a new addition with a purpose built train room for me. My priority going forward is helping with the move and then building a new layout to the same level of detail, quality and flawless operation as my former layout in Hawaii. I also have years of backlogged projects on my own brass collection which I am looking forward to completing. Ed plans to focus entirely on his demanding business interests other brass train model importing and his personal modeling. Both of us still have many existing brass models on our want lists.
We have decided that the Illinois Central trains, extra cars and Pullman built 10-6 sleepers will be the last brass models we produce. We have thanked Se Ho for allowing us to be his customer the last 12 years. We have also let him know we are cancelling all in progress and future projects. We have made sure Se Ho is compensated for his work in progress on the cancelled projects. Where appropriate, we have returned or will be returning all research and data provided by our collaborators related to the cancelled projects. In the simplest terms, we are stopping importing brass HO trains models so that we can devote that time to other parts of our lives.
Thanks to all of you for supporting UTI’s projects. Ed and I got the models we wanted for our own collections and had the great pleasure of sharing them with those of you who also wanted them. We look forward to staying in touch with you through our common interest in brass trains.
Chuck Sted and Ed Kurzenski

We are excited to announce a rerun of our very popular DODX flatcars. These models sell quickly on the secondary market if you run across them. Brass Trains lists them currently with a value of $450. Se Ho has a greed to do them again for us and since he has the data package we were able to negotiate a very fair 2020 price of $418 each MSRP. Your favorite dealer will probably give you a break on that price. We are doing ten new road numbers of the olive car, ten new road numbers of the BN green car and five new road numbers of the grey car. We also have a limited number of the trucks available separate for you scratch builders. These models are in production and should be here in the summer of 2020. Please get your orders in soon. They will sell out.

Here are some photos of the first run models and some with loads by our friends (some very skilled modelers). (ours will not come with loads) so start grabbing the Minitanks M1s when you see them. Arsenal M is also a good source for modern military equipment (loads)

The Illinois Central, Wabash, CofG and SP E units are in and at your dealers. We have a very few remaining if you missed them. The Illinois Central City of Miami and City of New Orleans trains shoudl be here in the next few weeks. We have approved the production samples. Last but not least the 10/6 sleepers should be here in the next month or so. Most are spoken for but we have a few left.

Next up will be the DH 643 project. We have capped the total production run at 125 models. These were researched by the same team that did the PAs and the recent KM project and should be spectacular. We have a few of each version remaining for reservation.

Please see the next post for more information on a re-run of our popular DODX flatcars.

“We have recently suffered a significant loss at the hands of UPS who lost the box containing the SP narrow gauge steam engine pilot models. As we researched ways to further protect against loss from shipments both from Korea and to our dealers, we have decided to purchase a Cargo Policy from UPS Capital, a subsidiary of UPS. Changing carriers was ruled out as the other options were deemed even worse than UPS. Please be prepared for a significant increase in shipping costs billed through to you as we spread this annual insurance premium cost ratably across shipments during the year. As always, thank you for your support of our projects. Chuck and Ed. “

One of our worst fears has been realized. It appears UPS has lost the three pilot models while they were on a trip from Korea to Northern California for the National Narrow Gauge Convention. The package took its normal route from Seoul to Anchorage to Ontario but since Monday it is showing in Lathrop. There is no reason for it to have ever gone to Lathrop.

Unfortunately Chuck and I won’t be able to attend the convention without the models……

Boo Rim has supplied us three pilot models for the upcoming SP Narrow Gauge project. We will have these on display next week at the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Sacramento. We expect delivery of this project in early 2020.